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Council authorizes city police to provide court security officers under new memorandum of understanding
Summary
Council approved an agreement to station two sworn Sylvania police officers at the municipal court instead of hiring off‑duty deputies through a temp agency; officers will remain city employees and report to the police chief.
The Sylvania City Council on Aug. 18 authorized the mayor and director of finance to sign a memorandum of understanding to provide sworn Sylvania police officers for court security, replacing the city's prior arrangement that used off‑duty sheriff’s deputies supplied through a temporary agency.
Chief Miller told council the city had been paying a higher rate to hire off‑duty Lucas County sheriff’s officers via an agency and proposed assigning two full‑time Sylvania officers to the court. He said the officers would remain employees of the police department, report to the police chief, and be assigned primarily to court security (about 80% of their time), returning to the department when not serving the court.
Council members asked who the officers report to and whether the change would raise costs. Miller said the officers would report to him and that the change should not increase costs — he estimated the arrangement would not be more expensive than the current temp‑agency approach. The chief said the city has used similar arrangements with local schools for 20–25 years.
Council approved the ordinance as an emergency measure and recorded that council member Richardson temporarily recused himself from voting because of a potential conflict of interest; Richardson later rejoined the table.
